use friendly images

What is "friendly media?"

Whenever we create media projects using images, audio/music, or other file types, it is VERY important we "use friendly media." Friendly media are files for which permission has ALREADY been granted to re-use and re-mix them in our own projects, either because:

• 1. The media files are in the public domain OR they are homegrown (we own the rights to them)

  2. The media files are licensed via Creative Commons

In the United States, both FAIR USE guidelines and the TEACH Act provide educators and students with guidelines under which copyrighted works can be used to support learning. Those specific contexts can be complicated, however, so if we can AVOID these discussions altogether by using public domain / homegrown media and Creative Commons licensed media, we should!

Where can I find public domain images / media?

• 1. WikiPedia: Many of the images included in WikiPedia are licensed in the public domain. Click on an individual image / picture on WikiPedia to view its specific usage license.

1. WikiMedia Commons Images

2. US Government Photos and Images

3. Burningwell

Where can I find Creative Commons images / media?

• 1. Compfight - Screencast: How to use Compfight to find Copyright-friendly images

• 1. FlickrStorm - Screencast: How to use Flickr Storm to find Copyright-friendly images

1. Flickr Creative Commons

2. behold.cc

Additional Resources

1. Copyright-Friendly and Copyleft Images and Sound (Mostly!) for Use in Media Projects and Web Pages, Blogs, Wikis, etc.

   1. Joyce Valenza has a wonderful list of "friendly" images sources on the "Playing with Images" page of her New Tools Workshop wiki.

   2. Slidecast: Copyright for Educators (Feb 2009 by Wesley Fryer)

Return to the Powerful Ingredients 3 Hour Workshop

Return to the Powerful Ingredients 6 Hour Workshop

Content licensed

by Wesley Fryer and Karen Montgomery